Category: How To

I love the energy Nairobi exudes in the evening. I get energized by the fast moving crowds and by the soft glow of dusk. The city really comes alive after dark! By 7 p.m, the sidewalks are crowded with hawkers selling all kinds of things, from wallets to clothes, to shoes, watches, to fruits and vegetables. Some people may consider this a nuisance, but to me it is part of what gives Nairobi its character and benevolence. During these times, my eyes are usually fixed on the ground. I eye all the merchandise laid before me, hoping that I would land on a good bargain. After getting a (really!!!) good pair of thrifted shoes, I then bought some fruits before finally heading home. Among them were tree tomatoes, which I had been searching hard for and finally found on the streets of Nairobi! I ate most of them (duh!!) and with those that remained, I decided to make a jam together with the grapes I had purchased that evening. Guys, this one you have to try out!

Coconut milk is one of my favorite substitutes for using water or vegetable stock in my stews or various other dishes. In my opinion, using coconut milk is one of the easiest ways of adding more flavor or transforming the taste of a dish. Coconut milk is not a dairy product though. Even so, it has plenty of health benefits. It helps with improving skin and hair health, boosts the immune system, has plenty of antioxidants, has anti-fungal properties and many more.

You can get this in the supermarkets, and if you are in Kenya, I recommend coconut milk by Kara as it is of high quality. But you can also make your own coconut milk, and here is how you can do that:

Mascarpone is an Italian cheese made by curdling milk with citric acid or acetic acid. It is a thick, soft cheese with a high fat content ranging between 65% and 75%. It can be used in both sweet and savory dishes without overpowering the other ingredients of the dish. It is also used to thicken desserts and puddings. It is the cheese that is used in the popular Tiramisu dessert, which brought this cheese to the forefront. It also tastes best with mustard, a variety of spices, cocoa and coffee.

You can find this cheese in our local supermarkets, however they are packaged in really small containers and sold at a high price. Therefore, it is to our advantage to make this at home.The only hard part about this recipe is the waiting. You have to plan ahead since the mascarpone has to sit for at least 8 hours to strain out the whey. Otherwise, it is very simple.

A stock is a liquid that is obtained from simmering various ingredients in a sufuria to extract their flavor, and the resultant liquid used as an ingredient to another recipe. These stocks can be added to soups, casseroles and even pilau instead of just using water and you can make plenty and store for the weeks to come. Vegetable stock is obtained by simmering down vegetables of your choice. Fish stock and beef stock may take several hours to prepare and one uses their respective bones to get their stocks.

You can purchase these in supermarkets, but in my country Kenya, it is very rare to come across them. This gives us the perfect chance to make our own. The best part about making your own stock is that you can adjust the component ingredients to fit your taste and you know exactly what is in it, so no preservatives or chemicals. Plus, it is so easy to make, and I will show you how.